Information for High School and Middle School MSBOA All-State Band and Orchestra is available at MSBOA's website. Students that are interested should take a look as soon as possible and we will be registering during the first week or two of school. I will also (probably) be able to get you a copy of the music, but you are welcome to purchase your own if you would prefer.

more info:...please wear your summer uniformplease arrive at school about 5:30 and meet in the band room.Ms. Schlosser will meet you there and organize the performance.You will probably not be marching - just playing the FS, SSB and maybe another tune or two from the Main show.

I expect everyone to be there!

you should be able to 'sneak' out when the band part is done (I hope)

check back here for more information when I get it. and yes, I realize the original band calendar said 5pm. sorry.

A special Movie Night has been organized at the Bay City 8 Theaters in the Bay City Mall. This is a special fundraiser for the Bay City Western Bands!

Bring your whole family and all your friends (and enemies) to the Theater on Tuesday, August 24, 2010 from 6:00 - 10:00 PM and bring this coupon with you. When you do so, 50% of your concession stand purchases will be donated to BCW bands!

All medications (prescription and OTC) must be turned in to the camp Nurse for camp. Mrs. Costello (our RN) will be wating at the busses beginning at 11:15 AM on Sunday to accept meds.

Please keep all your meds in the original prescription or OTC packaging/container and place all of them in one Ziploc bag with the student's name on it. Turn this bag in to Mrs. Costello before boarding the bus.

There is a packing list for camp in the downloads area. please use it! Also note the dress code which is expected at camp. Pack accordingly!

Please add to your packing list: a water bottle (not a bunch of bottles of water) but a water bottle of some kind - preferably something you can hang on your shoulder. If you do not bring one, you will be provided with one, but it won't be as cool as yours.

French Horn Clinic by Philip FarkasPlayers continually experiment with instruments, mouthpieces and methods to enlarge the tone, and then revel in the fact that they have such a big tone. All this they do while conductors the world over gnash their teeth and frantically wave the brass down!Sight Reading, Fright Reading, or Sight Guessing? by Gary GribbleIt is imperative that students develop a musical vocabulary that encompasses notes, rhythm, dynamics, stylistic concerns, knowledge of phrasing, and all of the aspects that go into a quality performance. This should be a regular part of your rehearsal routine.

You Want Band in the Community - Delayed Gratification and Citizenship by David WillsonEach year I see the directors in the country have more hurdles thrown at them making it harder to have band where they are. These hurdles start with national testing, new graduation requirements, scheduling, and the list is endless. We as a society need to sell the real value of band to all in the community instead of getting stuck on the spirit or public relations area that all see and recognize.

Engaging Rehearsals to Enhance Music Making by David BransonThe purpose of this article is to present basic rehearsal design principles that can improve student engagement followed by a description of practical rehearsal techniques designed to empower students to become an integral part of the music-making process.

5 Steps to a Musical Performance by Randall D. RoyerAlthough they are many strategies and methods to learning a piece of music, whether as an individual studio teacher or as a director of a large ensemble, I have found “5 Steps” to be the most efficient and effective plan for learning and teaching music.

The Jazz Big Band: Ingredients To Assure Good Ensemble Performances by Scott CowanThroughout my nearly twenty years of directing jazz big bands and observing a myriad of world class band leaders, I have observed a plethora of ingredients, so to speak, that have contributed to successful performances. The following ingredients reflect my observations.

The Flute Practice Techniques by Robert H. WilloughbyI strongly advocate practicing part of the time without vibrato. While it adds life to your playing, it also tends to obscure basic faults, such as lack of support. In addition, modern composers will often specifically request that a particular passage be played without vibrato. Likewise, in baroque music it should be used sparingly.

Warm Up Room or War Room? by Gary GribbleThe warm up room is a critical area that can make or break a performance. Personally, I advocate a calm approach that is identical to our daily rehearsal procedure. I want the students to feel prepared, comfortable, and focused prior to moving on stage.

Congratulations to the following students for their outstanding performances at MSBOA State Solo & Ensemble!

Danielle Lefevre (12)

Trumpet Solo

Proficiency III

92/100

Daniel Schindler (10)

Trombone Solo

Proficiency I

96/100

Alison Phelps (12)

Clarinet Solo

Proficiency III

94/100

Mick Klann (9)

Clarinet Solo

n/a

Div I

In addition, Senior Danielle Lefevre was nominated as a soloist to audition for the concerto performance at the Michigan Youth Arts Festival and Senior Alison Phelps was awarded a position in the Michigan Youth Arts Festival Honors Band. Congratulations to all for their fine work and performance!

UPDATE: Sophomore Daniel Schindler has also been selected to the Michigan Youth Arts Festival Honors Band. Daniel had apparently been placed on a 'waiting list' and then selected later than the others. Congrats!

Registration materials for the 2010 Western High School Band Camp are now available in our download area. Camp begins on August 1 and finishes on August 6, 2010. All students planning to participate in the WHS Band for the 2010-2011 school year are expected to attend. Cost is $210 per student (this is $15 less than the 2009 price!). Students were also given a hard copy on Friday, March 12.

Registrations are due with your $125 non-refundable deposit by March 26, 2010. Please pay with a check or money order and make payable to Western High School.

Congratulations to all the band students of Bay City Western High School and Middle School for their terrific performances at MSBOA District 5 Band & Orchestra Festival on March 5 & 6, 2010.

The Seventh and Eighth Grade Bands, under the direction of Heidi Schlosser, each earned an overall Division II rating. Both the High School Concert Band and Symphonic Band, under the direction of Craig Heydenburg, earned straight Division I ratings for the sixth consecutive year. Since 2001, the High School Bands have earned Division I ratings every year except in 2003.

Due to the High School exam schedule, the Bands will not have a regular rehearsal on Thursday, March 4, 2010. In discussions with the band members, we decided that we could rehearse on the the following schedule (Exams end at 2:00)

Congratulations to all the 2010 MSBOA District 5 Solo and Ensemble participants. Western performed very well overall with 28 total events (20 division ones, 6 division twos, 2 division threes). Thank you for performing and congratulations on excellent performances! I'm proud of you! (read more for all results)

STATE MSBOA Solo & Ensemble Festival is on Saturday, March 27, 2010 - yes, the first day of the trip. If you are going on the trip, you probably don't want to participate at S&E. Those of you that DO want to participate in State S&E must pay me before Thursday, February 25. See me in class on Tuesday for amounts.

Bay City Public Schools is closed due to inclement weather for Wednesday, February 10, 2010 - this includes closing of our Community Education & Alternative Education programs and also our Parent Involvement Center (PIE).

NOTE: the Jazz Band schedule is not changed by snow days. which means, there is no jazz band tomorrow.